There’s no denying what challenge awaits the Apalachee High School football team Friday.

The Wildcats (1-1 overall) will play their first Region 8-AAAAA contest when they venture to No. 7-ranked Gainesville High School. The Red Elephants dismantled Winder-Barrow High School 69-0 last Friday and appear set to make plenty of noise in their first season in AAAAA.

“They are as good as everyone has heard,” AHS coach Shane Davis said. “In the last few years they have been very good and this year is no exception.”
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There was something of an unknown element going into the first game for the Apalachee High School Wildcats.

The Lanier High School Longhorns, who provided the season opening test for AHS, is still a relatively new program having played just four varsity games in 2011. Plus, there is always the unknown factor of how well a team will play in the first game of a new campaign, as Wildcat coach Shane Davis knows all too well.

In the end, AHS passed the first test of the season and emerged with a 21-11 victory.
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There was a good bit of unknown going into the season opener for the Apalachee High School Wildcats.

The biggest mystery was the team's opponent as Lanier High School is still a new program and, as such, the AHS coaching staff didn't fully know what to expect once the game started.

In the end, the Wildcats proved they were ready for any challenge put before them and emerged with a 21-11 road win to start the new season. The game is the first of two non-region contests for AHS this fall.

The Wildcats will open their home schedule next Friday against Greater Atlanta Christian at R. Harold Harrison Stadium. See Wednesday's print edition of the Barrow Journal for a recap of Friday night's win and a preview of the GAC contest.

A new season will begin Friday for the Apalachee High School football team against a relatively new program.

The Lanier High School Longhorns will welcome the Wildcats this Friday as both teams begin their respective 2012 campaigns. Lanier is a new program and new school. The team played four varsity games a season ago going 3-1.

“We certainly don’t have any common opponents that we can compare,” AHS coach Shane Davis said. “I am pleased with where we are. It’s time for us to play. Of course, the more you practice the better you can get, but at some point you have to put it on the line and play against someone else. The speed and intensity is so much different on Friday night.”
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It’s been a long offseason for the Apalachee High School football team.

Now the Wildcats will get the opportunity to line up against a different team this Friday when they host Elbert County High School in a preseason scrimmage. Kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m.

“It’s time to face someone else,” AHS coach Shane Davis said. “This will be the first time we’ve been able to scrimmage this early. We’ll have to see if we prefer it this way. Right now we are glad the scrimmage is upon us, but we also know we’ll be dealing with some banged up players the following Monday once practice begins again.”
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The Apalachee High School football team took its preseason preparation to the next level last week as full contact workouts were allowed for the first time Aug. 1.

The Wildcats, who will host a preseason scrimmage Aug. 17 against Elbert County High School, have been working for several months during offseason training. Coach Shane Davis said he liked how practice progressed last week.

“There’s always a little bit of excitement when you go full pads,” the coach said. “Although battling the heat is an issue.”
Even before full contact work began, Davis and the AHS coaches had a pretty good idea of which players will be able to contribute in certain areas.
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When Monday morning arrived, it was back to the summer grind for the Apalachee High School Wildcats.

After taking several days off for the Georgia High School Association’s imposed “dead week,” the Wildcats returned to the weight room and practice field Monday morning. Coach Shane Davis said preparation at this stage will continue to mirror what has already been done in June.

“We won’t change much until we can get out there and go full contact,” Davis said. “Basically, it will be similar to what we have been doing. We’ll continue to work in the weight room as well.”
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With spring practice now in the rearview mirror, the Apalachee High School Wildcats will begin summer work June 1.

The Wildcats have been off since the spring scrimmage as coach Shane Davis wanted to give the players a break following spring work and exams. Once Friday arrives, however, it will be back preparing for the upcoming 2012 season which will see AHS compete in a revamped region as well as a new classification.

“Overall, we were pleased with spring,” Davis said recently. “We were able to get some things accomplished. Hopefully, that will carry over into the summer for us. It usually does. The players always seem to come in ready to work and ready to prepare for what’s ahead of us.”
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Many of the goals the Apalachee High School football coaches set for their players this spring were met.

Head coach Shane Davis always likes to establish a depth chart in the spring and for the most part that was done the past two weeks.

“There are still a few questions,” Davis said Sunday night as he finishes breaking down the spring game. “Of course, there may still be questions once the season starts. However, when it comes to our first and second string players we are in pretty good shape.”
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